Virgin Media has become the first Internet Service Provider (ISP) to block its customers from access to the Swedish file-sharing website, The Pirate Bay.

The media company is complying with an order granted by the High Court this week. Other providers named by the judge, including TalkTalk, Sky, Everything Everywhere and O2, are expected to take the same action in the near future.The Pirate Bay hosts links that enable its members to download files from each other for no cost. The website earns money through advertising on the site, to the tune of approximately $3 million per year. The Pirate Bay has been a popular site in the UK, with around 3.7million users.

However, the trade organisation of the music industry, the BPI, is concerned that the hosted links include files that contain the copyrighted material of recording artists. They argue illegal file-sharing means composers, musicians, singers and technicians will not receive the earnings they are due.

In July 2011, the BPI asked The Pirate Bay to stop enabling infringement of its members’ copyright. When the website did not comply, the BPI requested that the main ISPs should voluntarily block access to this particular website.

The ISPs refused, arguing that educating consumers about the abuse of copyright, and providing alternative legal file-sharing sites at a reasonable cost, would be more effective. Consequently, The BPI took their case to court.

Mr Justice Arnold ruled that The Pirate Bay “actively encourages” copyright infringement, and said that its operators had a contemptuous attitude regarding attempts to prevent illegal file-sharing.

Some activists, such as Jim Killock of the Open Rights Group, have argued that banning such sites is the first step on a road to increasing censorship regarding the internet. The founders of The Pirate Bay are urging users to write to their ISPs, asking those companies to appeal the case.

Meanwhile, another ISP named in the case, BT, has requested “a few more weeks” to consider its position on the matter.